Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, claims that artificial intelligence (AI) will be more helpful than harmful in meeting climate goals. Gates is confident that AI will enable countries to use less energy overall by making technology and electricity grids more efficient.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates made these comments that AI will overcome Climate Change during an interview at the Breakthrough Energy Summit in London. At this conference, hosted by his venture fund Breakthrough Energy, Gates explained that the extra energy demand from AI data centers. would likely be balanced by investments in green energy. He noted that tech companies are willing to pay more for clean electricity to ensure they use green energy sources.
Bill Gates believes AI can play a key role in tackling climate issues by enhancing technology and electricity grids, which could balance out the energy needs from new data centers.
Gates emphasized that while data centers might increase energy demand by up to 6%, AI could reduce energy consumption by a greater amount.
Breakthrough Energy, founded by Gates, aims to drive innovation to prevent climate change. Since its inception in 2015, the fund has supported over 100 companies.
A report by Goldman Sachs estimates that an AI query through ChatGPT uses almost ten times more electricity than a Google search, potentially doubling data center carbon emissions by 2030. Some experts predict that AI data centers could increase electricity demand by up to 10% in developed countries.
However, data center energy use is only part of the equation. Microsoft’s reports indicate that “scope three” emissions, which are indirect emissions, have increased partly due to building new data centers. The rise of “on-device” AI, such as Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs and Apple’s enhanced Siri, also complicates the situation. While large companies can buy renewable energy, they cannot ensure their customers’ devices will use green energy.
Gates warned that despite advances in AI and green technology, the world might miss its 2050 climate targets by up to 15 years due to the slow development of green electricity. He highlighted the need for consistent policies to encourage large-scale investments in long-term projects like power plants and cement factories.
Despite these challenges, Gates remains hopeful. He praised the innovative spirit of companies working on climate solutions and stressed the importance of partnerships between governments, businesses, and investors to accelerate progress.
Gates concluded that while the road ahead is difficult, the combined efforts of the global community can lead to significant progress in tackling climate change and improving the overall human condition.
